1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for collecting and then dispensing a liquid. More particularly, the present invention pertains to an apparatus for collecting, mixing, and metering the discharge of a liquid supplied thereto.
2. Prior Art
There are many uses for an apparatus which is suited for receiving a fluid and discharging the same wherein the amount of fluid discharged can be accurately metered. For example, one such application may be a simple lawn sprinkler where, for accurate lawn soaking, it is desired to have a known amount of water metered over a predetermined surface area.
Another example of a use of such a liquid dispensing apparatus is as a carburetor for supplying an internal combustion engine with atomized and vaporized fuel mixed with air in an explosive mixture.
The structure of the basic carburetor has not changed much over the years since its introduction. The basic carburetor consists of an air inlet and a Venturi tube, or throat, leading from the atmosphere to the engine. As the air passes through the Venturi throat, it is speeded up, causing the static pressure of the air to be reduced below the atmospheric pressure. Gasoline, or any other fuel which is kept in an adjacent float chamber, is forced from this chamber through an appropriate nozzle or jet into the Venturi throat as a result of the difference between the atmospheric pressure and the static pressure of the air flowing through the Venturi throat. For normal driving, the air/fuel ratio should be about 15 to 1 by weight. This ratio may be generally achieved by properly sizing the Venturi throat and fuel nozzle.
Functionally, the carburetor parts may be classified as:
1. means for metering the fuel into a variable air flow to obtain the desired air/fuel ratio;
2. a regulated pressure supply of fuel to the metering means;
3. means for varying the flow of the air/fuel mixture to meet variable demand power; and
4. auxiliary means to provide perfection of smooth idling.
Many prior art carburetors use a "butterfly" valve to impose a controlled variable pressure drop between the carburetor and the engine cylinders for controlling power or speed. Between the source of fuel, i.e., the fuel tank, and the Venturi throat of the carburetor, the metering means usually consist of a float controlled valve arranged to maintain a steady level in the float chamber. However, the task of precisely metering fuel into the air is a difficult one at best. Thus, a major compromise in many contemporary carburetors is the metering system since this system may be subject to fault of surge and splash and disruption of the desired level of the fuel if the carburetor is not maintained horizontal, or if it is subject to severe acceleration.
Thus, a need exists for a carburetor having an improved metering system to increase the efficiency thereof.
In addiion, in view of the acknowledged decrease in the supply of fossil fuel available today, it is important to increase the efficiency of the carburetor as much as possible. Another way of increasing the efficiency of the carburetor is by more completely atomizing the fuel prior to mixture with the air flow through the carburetor. Most carburetors secure atomization and vaporization by the use of low pressure spray of the fuel into the moving air stream. This may not be maximally efficient.
Thus, there is a need for additionally increasing the efficiency of the carburetion scheme utilized with most internal combustion engines manufactured today by more effectively causing the atomization of the fuel supplied therein.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for collecting, mixing, and metering the discharge of a fluid supplied thereto.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved dispensing apparatus for dispensing a fluid collected therein.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved fluid dispensing apparatus such as a lawn water sprinkler, or the like.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved carburetor and the like.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a carburetor having an improved fuel metering and atomizing system.